Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday morning, Sep. 23, 2001, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia.

THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION

By Michael D. O’Neal Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church Albany, Georgia

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:14-21

Text: 2 Corinthians 5:18

2 Corinthians 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

Introduction: Unsaved people are enemies of God.

Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

They oppose His program.

They oppose His will for their lives.

Christian people are to be “peacemakers,” inviting these people to be reconciled to God. Let us look at four things in this great passage about reconciliation.

I. RECONCILIATION WAS PLANNED

2 Corinthians 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

1 Peter 1:18-20 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

It was planned because of

A. The wickedness of sinners

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
There was no other way for people to be saved. In the garden, Jesus prayed,
Matthew 26:39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

B. The will of the Sovereign

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

C. The willingness of the Savior

1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
John 10:17-18 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

II. RECONCILIATION WAS PERFORMED

2 Corinthians 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

To PROPERLY understand the message of reconciliation, one must grasp three great truths:

A. The mystery of godliness

“… God was in Christ …”
1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Jesus is God’s Son! Jesus is God THE Son! Jesus is God manifest in the flesh, God becoming man, that He might bring God and man together. He is the God-man!
The reason that Jesus is able to save is that as God, He was sinless! As man, He was able to die FOR our sins!

B. The meaning of Golgotha

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Christ died FOR our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3). The gospel is not just that Christ died, was buried, and rose again. He died for our sins!

C. The message of the grave

“… and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures …” (1 Corinthians 15:4)
2 Corinthians 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
You know, most people think that the cross is the symbol of Christianity. Actually, there are TWO emblems of our faith:
1. The TREE on which Jesus died, but also
2. the TOMB in which Jesus was buried and from which He rose again!

III. RECONCILIATION MUST BE PRESENTED

2 Corinthians 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

2 Corinthians 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

A. By the power of the Spirit

The Spirit of God came down at Pentecost and gave power to the disciples to be witnesses.
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

B. By the preaching of the scriptures

People get saved through hearing the gospel message:
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

C. By the participation of soul-winners

2 Corinthians 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
The Lord’s “last will and testament” was for His people to tell everyone about Him!

IV. RECONCILIATION IS PERSONALIZED

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

How does an individual become reconciled? When does it become effective to the individual?

A. By a scriptural belief

Not just an intellectual assent to certain facts, although it includes that.
It is a faith, a trust, a reliance, a confidence, a dependency.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

B. By a Spiritual baptism

A person who is reconciled, in this passage, is “IN Christ.”
The Bible tells how a person gets INTO Christ, and it is by a BAPTISM. The baptism that places a believer into Christ is not a water baptism, which takes place sometimes hours, days, months, or even years after a person is saved, but a SPIRIT baptism, which takes place immediately when a person puts his faith in Christ’s blood for salvation.
Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

C. By a supernatural birth

“… he is a new creature …”
John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

What does this message mean to YOU?
Have YOU been reconciled?
If you have …
Are you carrying the message of reconciliation to others?